Russia and India on Thursday signed an agreement to set up a network of integrated infrastructure for irradiation centres for food products, the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) said.

An agreement to this effect was signed on the sidelines of the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi by the United Innovation Corporation (UIC), a subsidiary of Rosatom, and the Indian Agricultural Association Hindustan Agro Co-Op Limited, a Rosatom statement said.

"Radiation treatment of food products is one of various applications of state-of-the-art radiation technologies offered by Rosatom to its foreign partners. The use of this technology will make it possible to reduce the loss of onions in India, which currently go bad because of germination and inadequate storage, by 42,000 tonnes per year on an average, as well as to reduce grain losses from 15 per cent to 3-5 per cent per year," Denis Cherednichenko, CEO of the United Innovation Corporation, was quoted as saying in the statement.

"As of today, 22 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Finland, Japan, China, South Korea and India are using about 515 radiation plants based on Russian technologies," he emphasised.

"Russia has a wide experience in this field; it has also been our reliable partner for a long time, and we hope that this project will not only make us closer to the solution of global problems in the sphere of sustainable development, but will also help India to become a centre of radiation technologies in the Asian region," Bharat Dhokane Pandurang, Chairman, Hindustan Agro Co-Op. Ltd., was quoted as saying in the statement.

The first stage includes construction and commissioning of seven radiation treatment centres in India.

--IANS

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